2006 Acura MDX Engine Problems

THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION WHEN I HEARD A LOUD POOPING SOUND. A DIAGNOSIS WAS DONE AT PEP BOYS, RALEIGH NC AND I WAS TOLD THE NUMBER ONE SPARK PLUG EXPLODED AND THEREFORE MESSED UP THE COIL. I WAS TURNING ON A CITY STREET.

FIVE DAYS AFTER PASSING THE STATE CAR INSPECTION AT A HONDA DEALERSHIP, MY WIFE AND TWO SONS WERE DRIVING OUR MDX ON 146N WHEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. AFTER HAVING THE CAR TOWED TWICE, FIRST TO A LOCAL GARAGE (AS IT WAS AFTER 7 PM AND ON THE WEEKEND) AND THEN TO THE ACURA DEALERSHIP, ACURA TECHNICIANS CONFIRMED THE DIAGNOSIS OF THE GARAGE AND STATED THAT A SPARK PLUG HAD BEEN SUCKED INTO THE ENGINE RENDERING THE VEHICLE UNUSABLE WITH SIGNIFICANT ENGINE DAMAGE. THE INITIAL COST ESTIMATE FOR REPAIR WAS $8,100 AS THE FOLLOWING PARTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED: ENGINE SHORT BLOCK, CYLINDER HEAD, GASKET KITS, COIL PACK, SPARK PLUG(S), ETC. THE OWNER OF THE INDEPENDENT GARAGE HELPED MY WIFE TAKE SIDE-BY-SIDE PICTURES OF THE DAMAGE WHICH ARE AVAILABLE IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE THEM. AS THE DAMAGED PARTS HAD BEEN TAKEN OUT OF MY VEHICLE, AGAINST MY REQUEST, THESE PICTURES ARE ALL THAT I HAVE TO SHOW THE EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE. I BELIEVE THIS IS A DEFECT IN THE VEHICLE AND SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED. PLEASE NOTE THAT ACURA DOES NOT INSPECT SPARK PLUGS UNTIL 100K MILES AND THIS DAMAGE OCCURRED AT 84,553 MILES. WE HAVE FOLLOWED THE MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE RECOMMENDED BY ACURA AND WERE JUST OUTSIDE OF OUR POWER TRAIN WARRANTY PERIOD AND BELIEVE THAT A LUXURY MANUFACTURER SHOULD STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT ESPECIALLY FOR DAMAGE CAUSED BY A SPARK PLUG THAT IS NOT REQUIRED TO BE INSPECTED FOR ANOTHER 15,000 MILES.

TOPIC: UNCOMMANDED ACCELERATION; LACK OF ACCELERATION; INCIDENTS OCCURRED OVER THE COURSE OF 3 WEEKS (USED 2006 ACURA MDX PURCHASED ON APRIL 12, 2010). SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE, VEHICLE EXHIBITED "STUMBLE" WHEN ACCELERATOR WAS PUSHED. THAT IS, THE ENGINE RPM DECREASED WITH INCREASING PEDAL PRESSURE. PRESSING DOWN AGGRESSIVELY RESULTED IN ENGINE IDLE CONDITION. THIS OCCURRED 0.5 MILES FROM HOME. PROBLEM DID NOT CONTINUE THE NEXT MORNING. ON MAY 3, 2010, WHILE COASTING THROUGH AN INTERSECTION AT APPROXIMATELY 35MPH, VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT PEDAL INPUT. CRUISE CONTROL LIGHT WAS OBSERVED ON (CRUISE CONTROL HAD NOT BEEN ENGAGED PRIOR TO INCIDENT). LIGHT BRAKE PRESSURE STOPPED ACCELERATION AND VEHICLE RETURNED TO NORMAL OPERATION. ON MAY 6, 2010, VEHICLE "STUMBLE" RE-OCCURRED. PULLING THROUGH AN INTERSECTION WHILE PRESSING ON ACCELERATOR, VEHICLE RPM DROPPED. MORE ACCELERATOR PRESSURE RESULTED IN MORE RPM DROP. PULLED TO SIDE OF ROAD AND STOPPED. WITH VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL OR PARK, ENGINE RESPONDS NORMALLY TO ACCELERATOR. PUTTING VEHICLE IN ANY FORWARD GEAR, PROBLEM PERSISTS. I WAS ABLE TO SLOWLY ACCELERATE WITH VERY GENTLE ACCELERATOR PRESSURE, BUT RATE OF ACCELERATION WAS VERY SLOW AND POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS DUE TO HEAVY RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. I WAS ABLE TO SLOWLY DRIVE THE VEHICLE APPROXIMATELY 3 MILES BACK TO THE USED CAR DEALER WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS BOUGHT. AT END OF TRIP, VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO CLIMB A MODEST INCLINE AND I HAD TO STOP. TURNED OFF ENGINE HOPING THAT PROBLEM WOULD CLEAR. WAITED SEVERAL MINUTES AND TRIED TO RE-START. TOOK SEVERAL ATTEMPTS BEFORE ENGINE WOULD "CATCH" AND RUN NORMALLY. WAS ABLE TO SLOWLY CLIMB THE INCLINE BACK TO THE CAR LOT. PROBLEM PERSISTED AT USED CAR LOT. VEHICLE WAS TOWED THE NEXT MORNING TO ACURA DEALERSHIP IN CHAPEL HILL, NC. PROBLEM CLEARED AND DEALER WAS UNABLE TO OBSERVE SYMPTOMS. DEALER CLAIMS THAT THERE ARE NO ANOMALOUS COMPUTER CODES. I BELIEVE VEHICLE IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. *TR